Matt Kenseth to leave Roush at end of season

FILE - This May 27, 2010 file photo shows Matt Kenseth before qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. NASCAR points leader Kenseth is leaving Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the season, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be promoted to his seat in the Sprint Cup Series. Kenseth has won 22 Cup races, including two Daytona 500s and the 2003 championship, driving for Jack Roush. He's been in the No. 17 Ford his entire career. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
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FILE - This May 27, 2010 file photo shows Matt Kenseth before qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. NASCAR points leader Kenseth is leaving Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the season, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be promoted to his seat in the Sprint Cup Series. Kenseth has won 22 Cup races, including two Daytona 500s and the 2003 championship, driving for Jack Roush. He's been in the No. 17 Ford his entire career. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
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FILE - This April 13, 2012 file photo shows Matt Kenseth listens to a crew member while sitting in his car during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at Texas Motor Speedway, in Fort Worth, Texas. NASCAR points leader Kenseth is leaving Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the season, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be promoted to his seat in the Sprint Cup Series. (AP Photo/Larry Papke, File)— AP

FILE - This April 13, 2012 file photo shows Matt Kenseth listens to a crew member while sitting in his car during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at Texas Motor Speedway, in Fort Worth, Texas. NASCAR points leader Kenseth is leaving Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the season, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be promoted to his seat in the Sprint Cup Series. (AP Photo/Larry Papke, File)
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FILE - This Feb. 28, 2012 file photo shows Matt Kenseth, left, and car owner Jack Roush celebrating in victory lane after Kenseth won the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. NASCAR points leader Kenseth is leaving Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the season, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be promoted to his seat in the Sprint Cup Series. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)— AP

CHARLOTTE, N.C. 
NASCAR points leader Matt Kenseth, one of the longest-tenured drivers in the series, is leaving Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the season.

He will be replaced in the No. 17 Ford - the car he has driven for all but one of his 452 career starts - by Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kenseth's long relationship with Ford will apparently come to an end. He is believed to be headed to Joe Gibbs Racing, either in Joey Logano's No. 20 Toyota or a fourth unannounced team.

Why? Good question. The team offered no answers in the sudden divorce of one of NASCAR's longest active relationships. Only Jeff Gordon, with Hendrick Motorsports since 1993, has been with his team longer than Kenseth has been with Jack Roush.

"I'd like to thank Matt Kenseth for his many years of loyal service," co-owner Roush said Tuesday. "Matt has been an integral part of this organization for well over a decade, and we are extremely appreciative of his accomplishments and contributions to the team, and will always consider him a part of the Roush Fenway family."

Kenseth and teammate Greg Biffle are ranked 1st and 2nd in the Sprint Cup Series, clearly poised to make a run at the championship. Kenseth opened the season with his second Daytona 500 victory, and has 11 top-10 finishes through 16 races.

Kenseth did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday, but tweeted about his departure.

"I'm very thankful to Jack Roush for the opportunities he's given me over the past 14 years. Together we have enjoyed a lot of success," he posted. "And as a team we are committed as ever to the remainder of the 2012 season and chasing a 3rd sprint cup title for Jack and RFR."

With Roush, Kenseth has built a career worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. Besides the wins at Daytona, he has won 22 Cup races overall, and the 2003 championship. In the Nationwide Series, Kenseth has won 26 races driving for Roush.

His relationship with current general manager Robbie Reiser, like Kenseth a native of Wisconsin, dates at least to 1997, when Kenseth first drove Reiser's No. 17 entry. It was eventually merged into the Roush organization, and Reiser became Kenseth's crew chief at Roush in 2000, Kenseth's rookie season.

"Matt and I broke into this sport together, learned the ropes and were able to bring home a championship," Reiser said. "Over the 20 years we have worked with each other, Matt has been a fierce competitor and become a close friend, not only for me, but as a mentor to young drivers like Ricky. I wish Matt nothing but the best for the next phase of his career, and know that we'll remain close."

There was speculation last weekend at Sonoma that Kenseth was leaving to join JGR, which is in a contract year with Logano. The team also has room to expand to a fourth car, and it is possible Gibbs officials are trying to move Kenseth in and keep Logano at the same time.